FAIRFAX, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - A 12-year-old boy in Fairfax County decided to ask his friends to help the pets at his local animal shelter instead of giving him birthday presents.

The Fairfax County Animal Shelter said instead of asking for presents, Nicholas asked for toys and supplies for their shelter pets.

The shelter said Nicholas wrote them the following letter, which read in part:

"My plan was to ask everyone coming to my party to bring something for an animal, so I can bring it to an animal shelter. When everyone I invited to my party got there I counted everything that came. When I tallied everything up, what I got was phenomenal. I got way more than I expected, and I was so happy when I saw all of it because I knew that all of this would go to very nice animals in need. Being a pet owner makes you see how much animals around the world are struggling. It doesn't matter what the animal, what the species, but all I know is that I want to make a difference in this world."

The shelter thanked Nicholas for his generosity and for also spreading awareness about shelter animals.